


Ways to Say I Love You

by angellwings, Imagination_Parade, justlook3, Struckk



Category: The Librarians (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Romance, Tumblr Prompt, valentine's fan fest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-12
Updated: 2016-03-22
Packaged: 2018-05-19 20:15:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 11,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5979724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angellwings/pseuds/angellwings, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imagination_Parade/pseuds/Imagination_Parade, https://archiveofourown.org/users/justlook3/pseuds/justlook3, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Struckk/pseuds/Struckk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of short, unrelated one-shots written from prompts from the "100 Ways to Say I Love You" list, sent to us on the JassandraTrash Tumblr blog as part of our Valentine's Fan Fest Celebration</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One More Chapter

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentine's Week! This fic is a collection of mini-stories posted to the JassandraTrash Tumblr after we asked for prompts from the "100 Ways to Say I Love You" list that's been floating around Tumblr these days. 
> 
> We're taking prompts through Valentine's Day, so if you've never been to our blog, come check us out!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt #30 - "One More Chapter"  
> Requested by fenristag  
> Written by justlook3

Jacob shuffled into the kitchen wearing sweatpants and an old Oklahoma tee-shirt.  Cassandra was sitting at the kitchen table, in pink pajama pants covered with red hearts and teddy bears and a pink camisole.  She was furiously scribbling on a piece of paper with a pencil and Stone smiled affectionately at her.

She looked up from her scribbles, “going to bed, honey?”

“Thinkin’ about it. Are you comin’?”

“Just one more equation, I’ve almost got it.”

He chuckled, leaning over to kiss her cheek, “perfect.  Because I want to read one more chapter.  I’ll see you in a bit.”

Not more than a half hour later, Cassandra was triumphantly finishing her work. So she may have fibbed a little, she’d actually done three more equations and had a small snack. She took one last sip out of her water bottle and put a sticker on it labeling it as hers before sticking in back in the fridge and heading to their bedroom.

She figured Jacob would still be awake, his one more chapter turning into two or more.  But what greeted her upon entering the bedroom were soft snores.  Jacob was asleep on his back, his mouth slightly open, the book still open across his chest, both hands still holding on.  Cassandra had to bite her lip to keep from laughing and force herself not to snap a photo.  He was adorable.

She almost did take the photo anyway because she would have loved to look at it. But it was impossible to keep Ezekiel away from her phone and so she didn’t dare risk it.  This was a personal moment between her and Jacob.

She wondered how many times he’d fallen asleep with books as he studied late at night while his family slept.  He wondered how scared he’d been that his mother might come in and see.  Or worse yet, if his father had come in.  Poor Jacob.  He was safe here with her.  She loved him for everything he was, the country boy, the oil rigger, the genius, the Librarian.

She checked the nightstand for a bookmark then slowly and carefully attempted to take the book out of his hands.  In his sleep he frowned and one hand tightened on the book.  

“It’s okay, it’s just me, honey.” Cassandra whispered and although he didn’t wake, his grip loosened.

She made sure that the page he had open hadn’t been lost and slipped the bookmark in. Then she set the book on the nightstand.  She leaned over and brushed a kiss over his forehead, stopping to pull the blanket up over him.

He’d left her light on for her when he’d gone to bed, so she clicked off his light and walked around to her own side. With a contented smile, she snuggled up under the covers next to him and turned off the light.

Next to her, Jacob rolled over to face her, his arm loosely going around her, and he murmured her name. She was sure he was still asleep, judging from his breathing, but she settled her head against his chest.

“Love you too, Jacob.”


	2. Come Here. Let Me Fix It.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt #4: "Come here. Let me fix it."  
> Requested by inamedmycatstanlee  
> Written by Imagination-Parade

Cassandra Cillian wandered into the Annex, her arms full of books from the Library. She carefully placed them on the center table and sat down to start her research. Jacob Stone sat at the desk he usually claimed as his, a mess of papers in front of him. He held a pencil against his forehead with one hand, clearly frustrated, while the other typed furiously on a calculator.

Deciding not to let curiosity get the better of her, Cassandra turned her eyes back to her own project. When the calculator went flying across the room, however, and when the calculator’s flight was accompanied by the guttural growling of a curse word, she couldn’t help herself and asked what was wrong.

“It’s this damn checkbook!” Stone said, pointing to the papers in front of him. “I’ve got eight months to balance, and these numbers…they just ain’t adding up right!”

“Why are you trying to do _eight months_ at one time?” Cassandra asked in disbelief.

“Well, excuse me if saving the world twice a week don’t leave much time for bookkeepin’!” he exclaimed.

She sighed and crossed her arms against her chest. “Come here,” she said.

“What?” he asked.

“ _Come here. Let me fix it_ ,” she repeated, as if that solution were the most obvious thing in the world.

“Cassie, you don’t gotta…” Stone protested.

“You can spend the next hour frustrated and screaming, or you can give it to me and let me fix it in a few minutes,” she said. “Unless you’re weird about your money and don’t want me to see…”

“No, it’s fine,” he said, handing over the papers and his checkbook register, secretly happy for the offer of help. “But I don’t think you’re gonna…”

“Shush. Sit,” she ordered. She started pouring over the papers he’d handed her, determined to find the error that was throwing everything off. “I balanced my dad’s in my head when I was 12, remember? I think I can handle yours…even if you have procrastinated this for _way_ too long.”

“Yeah, good luck, I’ve been trying to figure this out for two days,” he said, taking a seat next to her. “I know math ain’t really my thing, but I’ve got an IQ of 190. I should be able to figure out a damn…”

“Got it!” she cheered. “Here, last September. This withdrawal is listed on your statement as 878, but you entered it in your register as 373. See? That’s why you think you’re missing money.”

“Those are 8’s,” he insisted, squinting at his own sloppy handwriting.

“No, those are 3’s,” Cassandra said, leaning in a little just to check.

“They are not,” Jacob argued.

“Okay, admittedly, they could be either, but they _should_ be 8’s, and when you went back and did the math, it looks like your brain interpreted them as 3’s, which threw everything off for _months_ since you logged things but haven’t actually looked at this since  _last summer_ ,” she said. “See, watch…”

She pulled out her own little notebook and began copying all the numbers down, doing the math with the value on his statement instead of the falsely interpreted value in his checkbook. She worked quickly and steadily, not even bothering to pull out a calculator, and when she caught up to present day, everything balanced perfectly.

“What did you spend 878 dollars on anyway?” she asked.

His eyes narrowed. “Problems with my truck…” he muttered.

“Oh,” she said. She tore the applicable pages out of her little notebook and placed them on top of all his paperwork. “Well…there you go. All fixed!”

Cassandra turned back to her own project as Stone stared dumbfounded at how quickly she had fixed his vexing problem. After a few moments, she looked up from her book again.

“You know, I could balance that for you every month, if you’d like,” she offered.

“You don’t have to…” he muttered.

“Or I could just fix it again in eight months,” she shrugged. Embarrassed, he gathered his papers and stood, shooting her one last look. She grinned, and he walked away without a word.

Cassandra giggled to herself. She’d definitely be getting her hands on that checkbook again.


	3. We'll Figure It Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt #36 - "We'll figure it out."  
> Requested by rogueprincessdanie  
> Written by Struckk

Jake took one last glance over his shoulder before quickly and quietly entering Cassandra’s lab, carefully locking the door behind him. Cassandra had abandoned the project she had been working on, a big smile on her face the moment she laid eyes on him. The two of them started towards each other, meeting halfway with a tender kiss, Jake eagerly wrapping her in his arms as hers wrapped gently around his neck.

“I missed you,” he said softly after they pulled back just slightly.

“I missed you, too,” Cassandra agreed, settling into Jake’s embrace and resting her head on his shoulder. “I feel like we never see each other anymore.”

“I know what you mean, darlin’. Seems like right when one of us gets back from a case some new magical threat appears and one of us is off savin’ the world again,” Jake hesitated before adding “Though, this sneaking around probably ain’t helping things.”

“I know,” Cassandra lifted her head to look Jake in the eyes. “But this thing between us is so new, I just want to make sure we know where we stand before we tell everyone.”

Jake nodded in understanding. “I get that. We’ll figure it out.” He leaned in for another kiss, his lips lingering on hers until the familiar buzz of his phone interrupted them. He tried to ignore it but it soon became obvious that whoever was trying to get his attention wasn’t going to give up anytime soon.

“Damn it,” he muttered, and Cassandra giggled at how disappointed he was. “It’s Baird. If I don’t get out there soon, she’s gonna come lookin’ for me.”

“It’s okay, go,” she insisted. “I really need to get back to work on my project anyways and I can’t focus with you here.”

“Tonight though?” he asked her. “We still on for dinner?”

“Absolutely,” she assured him, then gave him a quick kiss goodbye before shooing Jake from her lab.


	4. It Reminded Me of You/I Like Your Laugh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt #2 "It Reminded Me of You" and Prompt #38 "I Like Your Laugh"  
> Requested by megansara11  
> Written by justlook3

Cassandra rummaged around the storage locker she still kept in New York.   She'd initially come to rotate some of her wardrobe out and then she got to thinking about an antique telescope that her grandfather had given her.  She thought Jenkins would be interested in seeing it.   

In her quest, she found a box that had come from her grandmother's.  She smiled as she opened it, childhood memories flooding out. Her grandma had always been of the opinion that children should play and had hid toys for her granddaughter.  Cassandra smiled over the collection of well loved toys that had made her visits to her grandmother so magical.  Then she giggled when she came to one particular toy. 

"Oh, I have to bring this back!" 

She added it to the box she had to bring back, containing the telescope, some sweaters, a few pieces of jewelry and now the toy.  Getting up and dusting herself off, she decided that was enough for now.

 The box was a little unwieldy and she was having trouble getting it through the already bumpy Back Door, when she felt the box lifting out of her hands.

"Let me get that for ya," Stone's voice reached her ears before she saw him.

"Thank you," she laughed. "I didn't think this through when I went to visit my storage locker."

"I'd wondered where you'd gotten to," Stone said putting the box down on the main table. "Jenkins just said the Door was in use and I noticed it was dialed in to New York."

"Had to go get a few things and remembered telling Jenkins about this antique telescope I got from my grandfather.  It made the box heavier than I planned on." 

She opened the box and Jacob leaned closer, probably wanting to get a look at the telescope.   She set the telescope on the table.  But what she held out to him was different.

"Here, I did find this. It reminded me of you."

Stone cocked his head, looking strangely at the brunette doll she held in her hands.  It was about the size of the larger GI Joes that some of his buddies had had (he'd ended up with the more action figure sized ones) but it was dressed in jeans, a plaid shirt and had a cowboy hat on its head.

"What is that?"

"It's Cowboy Ken!" Cassandra exclaimed, giggling. "Well actually he was probably like Malibu Ken or something when Grandma bought it for me. But the last time I played with him, I dressed him up like this."

"And it reminded you of me?" Stone asked very slowly, a bit annoyed, though slightly charmed by Cassandra's enthusiasm like he always was.

Cassandra didn't seem to notice his tone. "Yes! I mean look at him.  He looks a lot like you. Well if you were plastic and well twelve inches tall . . . ." Cassandra trailed off and just started laughing.  "Oh, your face!"  Then she doubled over,  laughing so hard at him. 

He couldn't help it, he grinned at her and her eyes met his when she finally had sobered.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I didn't mean . . . ."

"It's okay," Stone said his tone just as soft. "I like your laugh . . .and you know it's maybe a little cute to know that little Cassandra was into cowboys."

A soft blush briefly colored her cheeks as she looked down at the floor, but then she looked up at him. "Well, maybe grown up Cassandra is into cowboys too."

Then she threw a flirtatious glance over her shoulder, gathered up her box and headed toward the street door.

Behind her, Stone froze for a moment.  But she grinned and slowed her pace as she heard his footsteps behind her.

"Hey, Cassandra?"

She let him catch up with her. "Yes?"

"You, uh," he held up the doll. "Forgot your cowboy."

"No, I didn't."


	5. Take My Jacket

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt #12 "Take my jacket, it's cold outside."  
> Requested by blaineandsamevanderson  
> Written by angellwings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is angellwings here! Jassandratrash on tumblr is still taking prompts! Check out the blog! You'll find our list and our ask there!  
> Happy reading!

Cassandra was used to cold. You don’t grow up in New York or anywhere in the northeast without building up some sort of tolerance to it. It doesn’t make you super human or anything but it does mean you’re a little more prepared for bitterly cold winds that feel like they blow straight through you and a little less effected by them. A little summer breeze was barely anything to her at this point in her life but occasionally when out with a certain blue eyed colleague of hers she pretended to be a little more sensitive to it than she actually was. Was this deceptive? Yes. Did she have a truly good reason? No. Was the result worth it? Absolutely. 

Because the result typically meant Jacob would put his jacket around her shoulders. Best of all, his jacket around her shoulders meant she was engulfed by him. His smell, his warmth, the security he offered her just by being near her…

All of it. And she loved it.

Usually this happened when they went out after successfully wrapping up a case. They’d go to their usual place with Baird and Ezekiel in tow and afterward Jacob would walk with her to where she parked her car. Exactly five steps from the bar, if she crossed her arms and hugged herself a little tighter as they walked, he’d offer her his jacket. Yes, always five steps, she counted. She also noticed, he always wore some sort of jacket. No matter the weather or season, he wore a jacket. Some were lighter, occasionally he wore a hoodie, and some were heavy like his leather jacket but it was a staple when they went out after a case.

A part of her wondered if he wore a jacket on purpose. She wondered if he knew, somehow, that she was always going to need it or if he liked letting her borrow his jacket. She always gave it back to him once they reached her car. He would wait to make sure she was safely in her car and on the road before he would put it back on. She’d watched him out of her rear view mirror on several occasions.  She wished, more than once, that she could see inside of his head. Just for a moment.

She wanted to know if he knew it was usually an act on her part or if he wore a jacket just for her because he knew she liked borrowing them. Were they both playing the same game?

She looked over at him from her seat next to Baird at the bar. They were waiting for their drinks. Ezekiel was off in the corner trying to flirt with a girl who had an alarming amount of piercings. Which left Jacob to save their booth. Not that he seemed to mind. He was too busy watching Ezekiel try and fail to hit it off with this girl he was talking to. Every time Ezekiel’s tactics failed Jacob would smirk just slightly. He must have felt her watching him because he suddenly turned to look at her and gave her a small wink. She smiled shyly and felt her cheeks heat up. She looked away from him and took several deep breaths to force away the blush. He really shouldn’t wink at her. It caused her to feel too many things.

After that, the night went on like normal. Ezekiel left first with his girl of the evening, eventually he always won them over. This night was no different. The girl with more piercings than Cassandra could manage to count (which is a feat because Cassandra knows she can count very quickly) ended up leaving hand in hand with the young thief. Eve left shortly after that, stating she needed to check in on Flynn before calling it a night. Then Cassandra gathered her things and stated she should probably leave too. It had been a very long few days and she was tired. Jacob nodded and stood from the booth and walked with her to the door. The night was rather warm and there was only a very light breeze in the air. She expected their pattern from all the previous nights to continue.

Only this time, Jacob surprised her. She’d barely reached the door when he shed his jacket and placed it on her shoulders. He lingered behind her a little longer than usual.

With his hands still on her arms he said softly, “Here. Take my jacket, it’s cold outside.”

She smiled brightly at him and nodded. “Thank you.” He beat her to it. She didn’t even have to act cold this time. This jacket was thin and light, but still it gave her a strange sort of comfort and had his signature scent that was a combination of soap and leather and something else that was very woodsy. It was perfect.

They conversed easily as they walked to her car and teased each other. He smiled more during their walks to her car then he ever did during the day. It was one of the many reasons these moments were her favorite. He had a great smile and she never felt happier than when it was directed at her. They finally reached her car and she started to slip her arms out of the jacket sleeves but he stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm.

“Keep it,” he said with a grin. “I’ve got another one in my car.”

“Oh no, Jacob, I couldn’t—“

“Yes, you can. I insist,” he said with a nod. He smirked and then winked before he continued. “It looks better on you anyway.”

She blushed and smiled shyly at him. There was that wink again. “Thank you.”

“Anytime, Cassie,” he answered as he opened her car door for her.

She leaned toward him and kissed his cheek in gratitude as she slid into the seat and shut the door. She giggled at the shocked look on his face and winked  _at him_  as she started her car. As she pulled away from the curb she watched him in the rear view mirror. He was standing perfectly still as though he were still in shock. She smiled proudly at her obvious effect on him. It was absolutely priceless. 

That wasn’t the same game they usually played, but she had to admit she liked this new game better.


	6. Close Your Eyes & Hold Out Your Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt #33: "Close your eyes and hold out your hands."  
> Requested by Struckk  
> Written by Imagination-Parade

Cassandra Cillian really didn’t have anything to hide from her fellow Librarians. Flynn had spilled the beans on her tumor after all of twenty minutes with her new team. Then, after it had fallen on her to keep the door that fed off of truths firmly open, Cassandra thought it was safe to say that everything there was to know about her was already out in the open. 

Almost everything. 

There was one thing she’d never told the rest of them. A little indigo bauble of magic, a souvenir from one of their very first cases in a town called Bremen, bounced, along with two others that had appeared in her palm, in sealed jar in her bedroom, like purple fireflies or glowing molecules contained within the glass.

The two extra balls of magic had appeared hours later that night, and Cassandra still didn’t know why she’d seemingly retained a little of the power the modified fairytale had granted her. There had been nothing robotic about Stone once they left the town library, and Baird wasn’t still a…well, alright, Baird had always been a little bit of a ninja. Thinking about an explanation made her anxious, so Cassandra never told anyone. The jar full of magic was her little secret. It rested on the vintage dresser in her bedroom and entertained her when she couldn’t sleep.

Which wasn’t a problem until the team got back together after months on their own, and the after-hours studying and brainstorming sessions with Jacob migrated from the Library to her apartment. They filled her floors and tables and flat surfaces with books and notes and possibilities. Her apartment was small, her desk in her bedroom, and they’d inevitably end up wandering in and out of there for essential work supplies. Whenever Jacob followed her home, she’d scurry into her room upon arrival and shove the little jar full of magic in an armoire. 

One evening, they were in her bedroom, looking for a book from the Library she swore she’d already brought home. His hand reached for the armoire that contained her secret, and she involuntarily cringed. Jacob dropped his hand.

“Why don’t you want me lookin’ in there?” he asked.

“Why do you think I don’t want you looking in there?” she asked, trying to keep her cool.

“Because I know ya, Cassie,” he said with a little grin. “And every time I’m in here and I creep anywhere near that closet, you flinch.”

“I don’t…” she tried to argue. Her voice trailed off.

“You uncomfortable with me bein’ in here?” he asked.

“No! I just…” she stuttered, her cheeks blushing pink. She walked over to the door in question, placed her hand on the knob, and whispered, without facing him, “It’s magic.”

“What do you mean _magic_?” he asked.

“I’ve never shown anyone this,” Cassandra said.

She met his eyes with hers, butterflies dancing across her stomach. His arms were crossed against his chest, but he nodded almost imperceptibly, just enough to tell her it was alright to share her secret. With her back to Stone so he couldn’t see, she gingerly pulled out the jar and unscrewed the lid. The baubles of magic floated towards the top, and she captured one in her cupped palm, replacing the lid to keep the others inside.

With a closed fist, she walked over to him and softly said, _“_ Okay _. Close your eyes and hold out your hands.”_


	7. Just Because

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt #24 - "Just Because"   
> Requested by anonymous  
> Written by angellwings

Jacob was starting to see that Cassandra wasn’t used to receiving presents that often and honestly she didn’t seem to give them either. No, she preferred to give her time or a gesture. Presents were not something Cassandra often gave or received. He couldn’t help thinking that maybe it was time for that to change. 

He started small and purposefully left no trace of who it could be from. It wasn’t anything extravagant, just a stack of notebooks wrapped in a ribbon left for her in her lab. He didn’t stick around to see her reaction to them. He didn’t need to. The next day he left a huge pack of highlighters and pens.  Eventually he escalated from office supplies to boxes of her favorite tea or snack. That went on for weeks before he saw an arrangement of daisies that reminded him of her. He felt in his gut that they were meant for Cassandra. He couldn’t explain it, he just knew.

And then it became a weekly event for him. An arrangement of flowers once a week. It was a bit pricey, but watching Cassandra try and figure out who her mysterious gift giver was made it completely worth it. Her analytical gaze flicked across the room and he could see her going through what she knew of them inside of her head. It was only a matter of time before she realized just who was leaving her presents. No matter her reaction, he knew he’d done the right thing. She’d never admit it but he knew she needed affirmation as much as possible. She needed to know she was good enough to be a part of the team every now and then. She needed to be reminded that she had people in her life who cared about what she wanted and believed in who she wanted to be.

Jacob knew he could be that person and he was determined that he would be.  That’s what the presents were about. There were no holidays or anniversaries or birthdays near the presents she’d received so far. He didn’t want her thinking any of his recent presents were only the result of a holiday.

He didn’t know what her reaction would be when she finally put it all together. His imagination wouldn’t even guess a reaction, but he never would have guessed that she’d barge into his workspace and slam a small arrangement of daisies and carnations down on his workspace.

“What is this?” She asked with a sigh and an impatient tapping of her foot.

“Daisies and Carnations,” he told her as he tried to feign innocence and flashed her a small smile.

“Jacob,” she said in a warning tone. However, there was a small grin on her face that contradicted her tone. He knew he wasn’t in  _that_  much trouble.

“They’re flowers, Cassandra. Flowers for you,” he told her.

“For me, from you,” she told him. She looked at him expectantly while he decided what to say next.

“Yes, they’re from me. All the presents were from me,” he admitted. For some reason he was starting to feel nervous about this now. His stomach was starting to twist into knots.

She sat down in the chair next to his and turned her gaze on the floral arrangement on the table. “It’s not any where close to my birthday, you know.”

“I know.”

“Or Christmas.”

“I know that too.”

“So… _why?_ ”

“No particular reason, Cassie.”

She furrowed her brow and turned a confused face on him. “No reason?”

He shook his head. “No. No reason.  _Just because._ ”

“Just…because,” she repeated as she turned her stare back to the flowers.

“Just because you don’t seem all that comfortable with gifts or presents,” he explained as he turned in his chair to face her. “Just because you deserve to feel that someone’s thinking about you and what you want. Just because you should know that you’re valued and respected. And most importantly…just because I wanted to.”

She smiled softly and chucked at his last answer before looking up to meet his eyes.

“No ones ever…I mean, I’m not used to…” she paused in her reply and then smiled brightly at him. “Thank you, Jacob. Really. I…don’t know what else to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” he told her with an affectionate smile. “You deserve all of it.”

She nearly leapt out of her chair in attempt to hug him and he chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her in return. The hugs were still relatively new for them, but he already knew no body hugged like Cassandra. She hugged with all of her heart and soul. You could feel it. He’d never had anyone hug him like that before. So, as it turned out, they were both getting used to something new.

Between the two of them, they had a lot to learn. Why couldn’t they learn it together?


	8. It Looks Good On You/Close Your Eyes and Hold Out Your Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt #32 - "It Looks Good On You" and Prompt #33-"Close Your Eyes and Hold Out Your Hands  
> Requested by pyresrpgear  
> Written by justlook3

So much had changed in the three years since she and Jacob had first start dating.  A little over a year ago, she'd found out that she had a future after all, or at least as much of one as anyone could have when their job involved magic, monsters and lab accidents.  Six months ago, she and Jacob had started having serious conversations about spending that future together.  Which is why today, on their third anniversary,  Cassandra's stomach was full of butterflies.  They weren't the nervous sick sort of butterflies, but instead the giddy ones of anticipation.  Jacob had been very secretive about his plans for this day.  And she could read him like a book, she knew he planned to propose.  But how or where, she let him keep that secret and didn't pry though it would have been easy enough to do so.

Although now she was a bit confused along with the giddiness.  Jacob had ushered her into his truck, but instead of heading for a restaurant or a park or anywhere else she would have thought appropriate for a proposal, he was driving into a quiet leafy residential neighborhood.  It was a lovely neighborhood, she mused as they drove, the kind of place she'd like to live in, well kept older homes, lots of trees, peaceful.

Finally they drove up to the curb in front of a beautiful home.  Cassandra had to admit as she looked at the front porch and bay window that it was the house she would have described if she had to chose a dream one.  And it suited her boyfriend just as much as her.

She turned toward him with a questioning look. "Where are we?"

He smiled at her, his eyes crinkling with it. "Close your eyes and hold out your hands."

"Okay," she said, doing as she was told, her stomach suddenly clenching.  But the object that was placed in her hands didn't feel like a ring. "Can I open my eyes?"

"Yep."

Across her palms was a key on an obnoxious real estate agent's keychain. "Jacob?"

"I made an offer on this house," Jacob said. "I was hoping you'd like to buy it with me."

Cassandra sucked in a breath, it wasn't exactly what she was expecting but it was still big. She just looked at him though, not sure what to say.

"You probably wanna look around first," Jacob smiled, taking her silence for what it was. "C'mon. I'll show you around."

The house did need some work, but it was nothing that Jacob and she couldn't handle between their combined skills.   But it was pretty much all she could have wanted from a house, when she'd allowed herself to dream at all. And that dream had only been within the past year or so as she'd come to realize she had a full life she could lead with the man she loved.

"I love this house," Cassandra said in the living room. "I'll totally buy it with you."

Jacob grinned and pulled her into a hug. "Never thought I'd be putting down roots in Oregon of all places, but . . . ." He trailed off, moving back from her and meeting her eyes.

Those giddy butterflies were back.  She expected him to get down on one knee, but instead he took her left hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing her fingers briefly.

"Cassie, will you marry me?"

The butterflies exploded into bolts of color and tears came to her eyes but she managed to say yes before he got worried about her.  When the explosions stopped, she noticed a ring was now on her hand.  The ring itself seemed modern but the yellow diamond was obviously old and the setting itself was vintage inspired.

"It was my great granny's.  I had it reset because the old one was very fragile, but I had them keep the basic design. I thought it would be more your speed.  Do you like it?  Because it looks good on you."

Cassandra nodded, it was perfect. "I love it.  And this house. And this day. And most of all, you."

Jacob grinned and pulled her back into an embrace. "I love you too, Cassandra." Then he kissed her.


	9. Don't Worry About Me/I'll See You Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt #31 "Don't worry about me" and Prompt #88 "I'll see you later"   
> Requested by indy91  
> Written by angellwings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we have so many responses to the prompt requests that we're still fulfilling them! Thank you so much for all the participation! 
> 
> Thank you so much!  
> angellwings

At first he thought cases where they went “undercover” would be fun. The case with Club Effigy was the first to prove him wrong. He didn’t even get to be undercover for that one. He was stuck outside the club while everyone else was inside. Then there was the case with the Devil where he’d been stuck as the Chauffer. Strike two for undercover cases.

And now he had strike three. He no longer liked the idea of undercover cases.

Cassandra was going undercover without them. Well, without  _him_. He wasn’t stupid. He knew she’d worked on her own for three months and she’d been fine. She could take care of herself and proved it several times over. But he was a worrier. He always had been. Being forced to step up and take on responsibilities you didn’t really want did that to a person. He sometimes felt like he carried the world on his shoulders. He felt as if he had to protect the things he loved. He always had. He protected his passions from his father, he had tried to protect himself from his team, and he regularly tried to protect them whether they wanted him to or not.

This was one of those times.

It began like a normal case. They’d had reports of disappearances during spring break in Florida. At least 3 girls so far had shown up in the big Clippings Book. After researching the victims they discovered they all had red hair and were just above average female height. Traits that just happened to be shared by Cassandra. Of course, she’d immediately volunteered to be bait with a very slight air of nerves and fear. It was an idea that everyone hated and they’d told her it wasn’t necessary.

But as the case went on, nothing else was working and two more girls went missing. They were running out of options. So, Baird had reluctantly agreed. The only one of them allowed to go with her to that night was Baird. Their monster, whatever it was, seemed to target single women which meant Jake, Ezekiel, and Jenkins were to stay behind and stay in touch. Baird was their Guardian and he trusted her but still…this was  _Cassandra_. She would be in danger and out of his sight and worse still, he knew exactly what kind of danger she was in. At least when they’d worked separately he’d been blissfully ignorant of her cases.

In order to get himself together he hid in a corner of the Annex. He planned to go downstairs when it was time to see the girls off, but until then he needed to gather his wits and not seem so distraught with worry. A floorboard creaked to the right of where he was sitting and he jumped. He heard a familiar giggle and turned to see Cassandra smiling warmly at him.

“You’re a little jumpy,” she said softly as she sat down beside him. “Everything okay?”

He gave her a pointed look before he shook his head and sighed. “Do I really have to answer that?”

“Jacob,” she said as she reached over and took one of his fisted hands. His hand relaxed the minute she touched it. “I’m not going alone. Colonel Baird has my back. You know she does. She won’t let anything happen to me. Not to mention, I’m pretty capable myself. Force Ratios and all.” She playfully bumped his shoulder and then smiled at him sweetly. “Please relax.”

“Not possible,” he answered as he held her hand tighter. “I know you and Baird are both able to take care of yourselves, Cassie, but…I want to be the one to help you when you need it. We’re stronger together than apart. We both know that.”

Cassandra’s eyes met his and the emotions he read in them nearly knocked him out. He’d never seen so much respect, concern, and affection directed at him— _for him_ —before. From anyone. Eve called out for Cassandra from downstairs and broke whatever spell had surrounded them. Cassandra sighed nervously and glanced toward the stairs.

“Time to go,” she said with a deep breath. They stood and she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. “We should go for a drink or something when I get back.”

He nodded but said nothing. Cassandra sometimes coped by making plans. He was well aware of this by now.  She turned and then hugged him tightly. He hadn’t anticipated the hug. But then Cassie’s hugs were usually a surprise. He wrapped his arms around her and allowed himself to hold her close for a lingering moment.

“I’ll be fine.  _Don’t worry about me_ ,” she told him softly as they continued to hug.

He rubbed her back consolingly and nodded against her shoulder.  _“I’ll see you later_ ,” he told her in a voice that sounded more assured than he felt. But Cassandra needed his confidence. He could put aside his worry to give her that.


	10. Can I Kiss You?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt #37: "Can I kiss you?"  
> Requested by anglofaery & djsurvive777  
> Written by Imagination-Parade

Words were coming out of Cassandra Cillian’s mouth, but Jacob Stone wasn’t catching any of them. He was too distracted by her lips. He was usually distracted by her radiant red hair or her deep blue eyes (he’d never seen eyes that _blue_ before Cassandra…) but today, his gaze kept slipping to her plump, light pink lips instead. She had painted them with a new lip gloss that morning, one that had just the slightest bit of sparkle to it, and as she stood next to him at their case board, looking between him and the research hung on the clear plexigalss, rapidly piecing together something about the ley lines involved in their latest case, her lips kept catching the light, glimmering as they moved up and down in explanation. 

“What do you think?” she asked. Her body still faced the board, but she turned her head to look at him. He didn’t respond, his eyes transfixed on the shimmering polish on her lips. Her brow furrowed in confusion. It wasn’t the first time his eyes had glazed over while she attempted to explain something to him, but he usually wasn’t staring right at her when it happened. She waved her hand in front of his face with a small grin. “Hello? Earth to Jacob?” 

Her hand severed the path between his eyes and her lips, and he blinked, returning to reality. “What?” he asked, mentally scolding himself. It’d been a long time since he’d let a pretty girl distract him quite _that_ much. 

Cassandra giggled softly. “Where did you go?” she asked. 

She tilted her head just a bit, just enough that the lights in the Annex made her lips positively bewitching. Jacob found his stare drawn to them again, and then, the next thing he knew, the next thing out of his own mouth was, “ _Can I kiss you_?” 

Her eyes widened and she turned to fully face him. “ _What_?” she asked, her voice slightly higher in pitch than normal. 

“Can I, uh…” he stuttered, though he knew there was no taking it back now. “I’d really like to kiss you.” 

“Oh. _Here_? Um…okay,” Cassandra said quickly. She hoped the smile on her face didn’t completely betray the excitement suddenly building within her. Kissing Jacob…that was something she had thought about for far too long now. 

She stayed firmly in place, letting him make all the moves. He took a step towards her and gently touched both sides of her face. Her hands instinctively came up to cup his bent elbows; his nose brushed against hers as their lips met in a soft, shy kiss. When their kiss ended with a quiet smack, they came back together for another, instantly in sync. Cassandra sighed as the kiss deepened and his fingertips sunk into her hair; her hands dropped from his elbows to hold onto his sides. The tip of her tongue had just brushed against his lip when the sounds of looming footsteps filled the silence. They broke apart on a shared smile and turned back to the board before anyone could really interrupt their private moment. 

Baird and Ezekiel entered the room, and Cassandra explained her theory to them, which was just as well, because Jacob hadn’t caught any of it the first time. This time, it was Ezekiel who seemed distracted, as he looked at Jacob, first with a look filled with puzzlement and suspicion, then with a look of smug amusement. When the foursome headed out, Jacob caught a glimpse of himself in a reflective surface and figured out just what had caught the young thief’s attention. 

Cassandra’s lips weren’t the only ones sparkling in the light anymore.


	11. There is Enough Room for Both of Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt #57 - "There is Enough Room for Both of Us"  
> Requested by pyresrpgear  
> Written by Struckk

The case that day had been a particularly difficult one and by the time the Librarians returned to the annex, everyone was exhausted. On the days Flynn was off on his own, it wasn’t uncommon for the remaining four to go out for a drink in the evenings. If Flynn were around he would occasionally join them, or he and Baird would do their own thing and the other three would go out.

Tonight, however, no one was in the mood to hang out. One by one everyone left, presumably to the comfort of their own homes and warm beds. Cassandra soon found herself alone, not quite ready to head out, and taking solace in the peace and quiet of the Library. 

She headed to the reading room, a place she often hung out in. She loved curling up with a book in one of the large, comfortable chairs in there. Another reason she loved the room so much was because it was also Jake’s favourite room. He too loved to escape in a good book in one of the Library’s more quieter rooms. Sometimes the two of them would sit side by side, enjoying each other’s company while silently reading seperate books. Other times they would read together, quietly but from the same book.

Cassandra’s favourite thing, however, was when Jake would read aloud from whatever he happened to be reading. It didn’t matter if it was poetry, a biography, or fiction, Cassandra never really paid attention to the words anyways. She concentrated on the voice that read them. There was so much passion in that voice, it was hard not to enjoy it.

The two of them had been growing closer it seemed. She wasn’t quite sure how to define their relationship these days. Definitely more than coworkers. Friends didn’t even seem quite right, they were closer than that. Maybe not as close as Cassandra would like, but they definitely seemed to be heading in that direction.

Cassandra entered the reading room and was surprised to see Jake there. Even more surprising, he wasn’t sitting in his usual spot on the plush couch. Instead he lay cozily in a hammock that hung from the ceiling. Cassandra was sure she had never seen it before.

“I thought everyone went home,” she said, alerting Jake to her presence. He set his book face down on his chest and smiled at her. 

“Nah. Wasn’t really in the mood to be alone, and around here you ain’t ever really by yourself,” he gestured around the room. Cassandra nodded in agreement and wandered closer to him.

“This is new,” she said, fingering the edge of the hammock Jake was laying in.

“It’s like the Library knew I was tired or somethin’,” Jake chuckled. “It was all set up and waitin’ for me when I got here.”

“What are you reading today?” Cassandra asked, trying to keep the conversation moving.

“Winesburg, Ohio,” he told her. “It’s a collection of short stories about the people who live in a small town in the early 1900’s. Unhappy people trapped in their own unhappy world…”

He trailed off and then picked the book back up and tossed it gently onto the floor.

“I read it all the time growin’ up, but now...I ain’t really feelin’ it. Why don’t you pick something out? We can read it together.”

Cassandra liked that idea, and the eager smile she flashed Jake before running off to the stacks proved that to him. She returned a couple minutes later, a copy of The Wizard of Oz in her hands.

“How about we read something that I used to read all the time while growing up?” She asked, handing the book to him.

“Sounds like a good plan,” Jake said, gently tracing the title of the book with his fingers. He glanced up in time to see Cassandra about to drag a chair over beside the hammock. “Why don’t you just lie next to me?”

Cassandra stopped and looked at him curiously. “In the hammock? Are you sure?”

Jake smiled and slid over as best he could. “There is enough room for both of us.”

Cassandra hesitated for just a second before crawling into the hammock next to Jake. He wrapped an arm around her and she tucked into his side as he cracked open the book and without being asked, instantly started reading aloud. Cassandra closed her eyes and allowed herself to get lost in the comforting sound of Jake’s deep, southern voice and before she knew it she had drifted off to sleep. Shortly after, Jake gently set the book aside and, after tenderly kissing her on the forehead, soon followed Cassandra into dreamland.


	12. I Bought You a Ticket

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt #69  
> Requested by inamedmycatstanlee  
> Written by Imagination-Parade

Stone knew something was wrong as soon she walked in that morning. Cassandra’s wardrobe was bright, as usual, but everything else gave her away. She was a little less bubbly, a little more scattered, and the light he usually saw in her eyes was dimmed. He worried until he finally caught her in an empty corridor, just before lunch. He looked around to make sure they really were alone and gently grabbed her arm.

After attempts to deflect his question, she finally said, in a small voice, “My mother called. Dad’s heart…he’s in the hospital. They’re not sure he’s going to make it.” He didn’t know what to say, her admission having caught him off guard. Tears filled Cassandra’s eyes as she spoke. She tried to blink them away, but one spilled down each cheek, and she came undone. “They were older when they had me, but they were supposed to _outlive me_. They were…”

Cassandra stopped abruptly on a little hiccup, briskly wiping the tears away. Stone squeezed her arm in comfort and dropped his hand.

“So are you going to…” he started, then realized he wasn’t sure where she had grown up.

“Connecticut, and no. No, it’s been years, and…this is stupid, but that’s the hospital where…” Cassandra trailed off again, vaguely pointing to her own head. “It’s just _too late_ ,” she sighed and slowly wandered away before he could see her face crumble again.

A few hours later, he caught her alone again and held up a boarding pass with her name on it for a plane to Hartford. When her eyes ascertained what she was staring at, they widened and found his.

“ _I bought you a ticket_ ,” Stone said. “Thought you’d appreciate the time to think instead of the Back Door just throwin’ ya into it.”

Cassandra shook her head. “I can’t.”

“I didn’t get to see my mama before she died,” Stone told her. Cassandra froze in place, listening intently. “I tried, but…I didn’t make it in time.”

“Jacob, I’m so sorry,” she said, empathy written all over her face. “But…”

He cut her off. “Go,” he said. “If this is really the end of the road, it ain’t gonna matter what’s happened between you. He’ll want to see you, too.”

She swallowed, thinking about what he had said to her, before she grabbed the ticket from his hands. He caught her as her arms went around him in a hug, and he held her tightly, caressing her back as she took a moment to let herself feel overwhelmed.

Cassandra pulled back, wiping the tears off her face again, and asked, “Will you come with me?”

“Did you just ask me to meet your parents?” he teased with a wink. That elicited the reaction he wanted, and she chuckled lightly.

“I can’t do this alone,” she admitted. “Them in general…but especially not this.”

Stone put his arm around her shoulders, turning her towards the main room as another involuntary sniffle escaped her. “Let’s tell Baird we’re going to Hartford.”


	13. I Dreamt About You Last Night/Sweet Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt #7 "I Dreamt About You Last Night" and #81 "Sweet Dreams"  
> Requested by inamedmycatstanlee and anonymous   
> Written by justlook3

Stone sat at the desk he'd taken over, his laptop in front of him, books and other reference materials scattered around.  But instead of typing, he was looking down at the piece of lined paper in front of him, pen in hand.  The only thing he'd written on the piece of paper so far was _Cassandra_.

It had been a couple of weeks since the Librarians had come back together, deciding that they worked better as a team.  The clippings book had been silent so far, as had Prospero, but they knew it was all just a matter of time. Until then they'd all taken to working on their various projects and he had been planning on working on his paper.

But instead . . .instead he was writing a letter to Cassandra that he was sure he'd never actually ever give to her.

_I could write lines of the greatest love poems in the world. Or quote you Shakespeare or a million different authors. But I'm trying to write you as me, Jacob Stone, and believe me Cassie when I say that's far harder to do than anything I've ever done._

_Why am I even writing this note?  I dreamt about you last night.  It wasn't the kinda dream you're thinking of.  It was you and me in a house, a dog and a little orange cat, matching rings on our left hands. It was the future and it was both comforting and terrifying at the same time._

_The thing is, Cassandra, you know I like you.  And I'm pretty sure it goes way beyond that. At least for me.  I think --no I know I want something with you.  But it isn't as easy as it sounds and not for the reasons you think.  I trust you, you know that.  You know how I feel, you've known that for a while now. It has nothing to do with you, sweetheart._

_It's just that I've never been myself with anyone.  Not my friends, not my siblings, certainly not my father, and even my mother though God knows she tried.  And never a lover.  Which is why I can count on one hand the relationships I've had that lasted more than a month or two.  And you . . .I know you have an idea of who I really am and you seem to like me anyway.  Which is all I've ever wanted._

_But I really don't know who I really am, Cassandra.  I don't. I've lived my lie for so long that I'm not sure where the lie ends and Jacob Stone begins.  And until I'm comfortable with who I am, I can't give myself to you._

_So there we are, Cassandra.  And I know you have something big standing in your way too. But I hope you know as far as I'm concerned that loving you for even a short time would be better than never loving you at all._

_I know for you and I, there is a time limit.  So I'm doing the best I can as fast as I can. As soon as I know who Jacob Stone really is . . . well then he is yours.  And that's all I can promise you Cassandra._

_Please just_

Cassandra wandered in at the moment and he moved a book over the sheet of paper on his desk.  She smiled at him, grabbing her bag from the other desk.

"Burning the midnight oil again?"

"Yeah.  Headin' out?"

"Yes, tonight my bed is calling for me.  It's getting late though, Jacob, don't stay too long."

"I won't. "

"Alright, well good night."

"Night."

Cassandra turned heading toward the exit.  Jacob looked down at the paper in front of him and looked toward her retreating form.

"Cassandra . . . ."

She turned around, her face expectant.

He said, "let me walk you to your car."

"Okay."

"Just let me finish one thing here."

He scribbled the words "wait for me. All my love, Jacob," on the bottom of the piece of paper and folded it, placing it in his coat pocket.  Then he shut his laptop and grabbed his keys.

They walked off to the street where they left their cars, chatting a little about their days.  When they got to her car, his hand went to his pocket.

"Cassandra?"

"Yes, Jacob?"

He couldn't do it.  "Sweet dreams, Cassandra."

She smiled softly, as if she knew that's not what he meant to say. "You too, Jacob. Night."

He watched her from the sidewalk as she drove away and pulled out the piece of paper.  He wanted to crumple it and throw it away. But he couldn't do that either, so he put it back.

"Just wait for me, Cassandra."


	14. I'll Do it For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt #48: "I'll do it for you."  
> Prompt #100: "I love you."  
> Requested by: anniecroschico  
> Written by: Imagination-Parade

Cassandra Cillian wandered slowly out to the living room; one hand carried brown, lace-up boots, while the other rested against her middle. She’d been getting dressed in the room she shared with Jacob, but then she’d just had to get away from him. He was _over the moon_ , looking at her with goofy grins every morning as he ignored her in favor of kissing her swollen belly and whispering good morning wishes and words of love to the baby growing inside. Sometimes she thought it was sweet. Sometimes she was _so totally over_ the whole experience that his excitement enraged her. Today was shaping up to fall into the latter category. 

She fell onto the couch and attempted to put the boots on her feet. Baird had called them in on a big Clippings Book case, so Cassandra knew she was in for another boring day of reading ancient books while the boys got to go save the world. She hadn’t been through the Back Door in months; Ezekiel had had a pretty good laugh when she’d sneakily tried to take a case, and the Door wouldn’t let her go. She’d diagnosed herself with a severe case of cabin fever, and then Stone’s sister, who had Skyped with them the night before, had had the audacity to say Cassandra was lucky. She’s carrying small, she’d said. No one would guess that Cassandra was only a few days away from Month Nine, she’d said, but Cassandra didn’t feel small. She felt huge and trapped, and now, the fact that she couldn’t even put her damn shoes on was about to be her breaking point. 

Stone barely sidestepped the flying projectile that was Cassandra’s boot as she flung it across the room in frustration. He picked it up and walked over to the couch where Cassandra had slid down into a reclined position. Her feet dangled off the middle, and he sat down next to her, pulling her feet into his lap. 

“What’s wrong, darlin’?” he asked softly. 

“I can’t get my shoes on,” she muttered sadly. “Probably couldn’t tie them, either.” 

Stone resisted the urge to chuckle a little and caressed her leg. “ _I’ll do it for you_ ,” he whispered. 

“I _hate_ this,” she groaned, one hand landing on her stomach as Stone started tying up the first of her boots. 

“I know; I’m sorry,” he said sincerely. 

“And you’re _so_ happy,” she sneered. 

“Well, I ain’t happy you’re miserable!” he replied, but he couldn’t fight the little smile. 

“I can’t do _anything_ anymore!” she protested. 

“It’s _temporary_ , sweetheart,” he reminded her, tying her other shoe. 

When he was done, his hand found hers. Their fingers tangled together and fell against the side of her belly. She sighed, and they spent a few moments like that – just them, just silence. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at him, and he leaned over to brush one away as it quietly spilled down her cheek. 

“Hey, now, what’s this?” Stone asked. 

“ _I love you_ ,” Cassandra sighed. “And we can’t even cuddle the way I like right now.” 

He squeezed her hand. She had cried the night she’d tried to mold herself to his side and burrow her face into his neck, only to discover that wasn’t going to be an option for a while. He tugged on her hand, and she sat up with a groan. Stone shifted so the length of his side was pressed against hers. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders and let the other fall across her lap; then, he leaned them against the back of the couch, tenderly kissing the side of her head. 

“I know it ain’t the same as what you like, but…” he started. 

“But Baird,” Cassandra interrupted. “You have a case.” 

He kissed her again. “Baird can wait fifteen more minutes.”


	15. You're Important, Too

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt #86 - "You're Important Too"  
> Requested by rogueprincessdanie  
> Written by Struckk

Jacob should have known Cassandra would be waiting for him when he stumbled into the annex that morning. After all, he wasn’t the only one who paid attention. Someone was bound to notice that the back door was constantly in use, that Jake had suddenly stopped spending every spare moment he had at the Library, and that he seemed more sluggish and tired than usual.

Jones wouldn’t notice. He was good at picking up on small details, but didn’t pay close enough attention to Stone to put two and two together. Baird was distracted these days as Flynn was off on a solo adventure. But Cassandra, she was bound to notice.

She greeted him with a half smile and a hot cup of coffee which he graciously accepted, the two of them silently taking their usual seats at their workspace. They each sipped from their cups for several minutes before Cassandra finally spoke up.

“You’ve been going home?” she asked, though she already knew the answer. She had seen the settings on the door, had noticed that they had been set that way every morning for a couple weeks now.

Jake nodded, taking a sip from his cup as he gathered the strength to finally get off his chest something he had needed to share for awhile now. 

“My sister...her husband’s...well he ain’t doin’ too well. Got in an accident at work and things ain’t been easy for them,” he stared down at the table as he spoke, his eyes hesitantly finding Cassandra’s when he finished speaking.

“Jacob…” she started to say kindly, but Jake started up again.

“She’s got two young kids. The youngest ain’t even a year old yet. She’s having a hard time caring for her husband and the kids. Plus without his income money’s been tight. He’s still gettin’ a bit, but with the medical bills…”

Cassandra reached across the table and gently placed her hand on his. “You’ve been helping them out,” she said knowingly. Jake nodded. “That’s very sweet, Jake. But look at yourself. You’re stretching yourself so thin.”

“They need me, Cassie,” Jake said firmly. “My family needs me.”

“I understand that, Jake. Of course you want to help,” Cassandra nodded knowingly. “But the Library? Jacob, saving the world is a lot of work. It’s exhausting. No one would blame you if you took some time off to help your family.”

“I can’t do that, Cassie. Then I’d be letting you guys down.”

“No Jake, you wouldn’t,” she assured him. “You need to take care of yourself. You put everyone else first, and that’s wonderful. But you’re important too.”

Jake didn’t reply, and the two sat in silence, Cassandra’s hand still resting on his. She squeezed it comfortingly, which caused Jake to smile slightly. He knew she was right, but at the same time, she knew he was never going to change.

“I’ll tell you what,” Cassandra finally said. “You keep doing what you’re doing. Take care of your family. Take care of us. Be a good brother and uncle and friend. And while you’re doing that, I’ll take care of you.”

“Cassie…” But Jake couldn’t come up with a good argument. “Thank you.”

“You’re not alone Jake,” Cassandra smiled at him. “Not anymore. Don’t ever forget that.”

She lingered for a moment before finally getting up, taking her empty cup to the kitchen and leaving Jake to ponder on her words.


	16. It's Two Sugars, Right?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt #64 - "It's two sugars, right?"  
> Requested by justlook3  
> Written by imagination-parade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooookay, so we thought we were done. And then justlook3 had a bad day. So I offered a fic to cheer her up. And she gave me a prompt from our list, lol. So here's a bonus chapter! Enjoy!

One of the biggest changes for Jacob Stone after he came to the Library (because, surprisingly, the idea of magic being real really wasn’t that difficult to get used to) was the fact that he didn’t have to _hide_ while he pursued his passions and stretched his academic muscles anymore. He was a prolific writer and critic – well known in certain circles, even – but everything he’d ever done had been generated either in the dead of night or in a corner of his home, the books and supplies pulled from a secret, inconspicuous place.

It was second nature to close the book and slip it under the desk when someone else entered the room; instincts had him keeping a sports tab open on his Internet browser and flipping to it whenever anyone got too close. It took months before he was comfortable enough to work on outside projects out in the open, but once he did, he quickly found he wasn’t alone.

Stone suck to nights, still enjoying the productivity boost that the late hours brought him. He thought he was alone in the Library (even though he didn’t know where Jenkins actually went at night) until he wandered into the kitchen around midnight to sneak a cookie or three out of the batch Cassandra had made that afternoon and found the woman in question sitting on the counter with a bowl of ice cream and a cookie of her own.

If he weren’t so startled by her presence, he would’ve laughed at the utter deer-in-the-headlights look he received. She sheepishly slid off the counter.

“I thought I was alone,” she laughed.

“Well, that makes two of us,” he admitted. “What are you still doing here?”

“I found this book on paleomagnetism. I can’t put it down,” she said, suddenly looking excited. “But I needed a sugar boost. What are you doing here?”

Naturally, an excuse started to fall from his lips. “I fell asleep wrapping up the case, and uh…” he started, trailing off as he caught a glimpse of her face. She knew he was lying. “I’m working on an article. Been a while since I wrote something for one of the regular journals I contribute to.”

Cassandra smiled and headed for the door, ice cream nestled in her hands. “You don’t have to hide from me, Jacob,” she said.

He didn’t see her again that night, but a few nights later, as he typed away on his laptop, she wandered in, her arms full of books and highlighters. With just a simple smile in his direction, she picked a desk across the room from him, crossed her legs underneath her in the chair, and buried her nose in a book. Stone felt his fingers falter against the keys – he’d never written anything with someone else _in the room_ before – until he reminded himself that he didn’t need that well-worn costume anymore.

After just a few nights, her presence stopped being unsettling and started simply feeling _nice_ , even though they rarely interacted during their late nights in the Library. She stayed at her desk, lost in science and math, and he took up residence on the other side of the room, lost in his research. She taught him how to enchant the books so they could turn their own pages; he spent more time than he cared to admit utterly distracted from his work as he watched her work equations in thin air. They made French toast in the middle of the night when a math problem gave her a craving for it and took turns making sure neither stayed up too late to function the next day. The quiet nights in the Library became their little routine; they spent more nights there together than not.

So he was surprised (and a little disappointed) when, one night, she walked into the main room with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and her car keys and coat in the other.

“Heading out?” he asked with disbelief.

She sighed, blowing a piece of red hair away from her face as the air left her lips. “I’m beat,” she admitted. She put the mug down on his desk, stopping as she walked by. “ _It’s two sugars, right_?”

“Uh, right,” Stone said, slightly taken aback.

With a small smile, Cassandra leaned in, softly brushed her lips against his cheek and said, “Don’t stay up too late, okay?"


	17. Can I Hold Your Hand?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt #19 - "Can I Hold Your Hand?"  
> Written by Struckk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently we still aren't done. Lol! Both justlook3 and imagination-parade are having bad days today, so here's yet another bonus chapter. This one was partially inspired by a scene in The Last Ride.

Jacob Stone had faced minotaurs, shapeshifters, and tentacle monsters. He had faced his father and come to terms with his past. But of everything he had been through since becoming a Librarian, Jake had never been as nervous as he was in this moment.

He looked across the table at the beautiful redhead he had shared dinner with. Cassandra was watching him expectantly, waiting for Jake to say something. The two of them had had plenty of conversations, and had shared several meals together without any awkwardness in the past. But tonight was different. Jake had finally gotten up the courage to ask Cassandra out, and tonight was their first date. It seemed adding that label to their evening made everything more difficult for Jake.

He cleared his throat, about to say something, when the waitress returned with their check. Instead Jake turned his attention to her, smiling in thanks and reaching for the check. Cassandra reached for it at the same time and their fingers brushed momentarily before they pulled away, Jake having successfully grabbed the cheque.

“You don’t have to…” Cassandra started to say before Jake interrupted.

“I know, but I want to,” he replied, offering her his famous, eye crinkling smile.

They sat for a few more minutes before Jake suggested they take a walk. After leaving the payment on the table, as well as a generous tip, the couple headed out into the street.

It was a gorgeous evening, the air was warm and the sun just beginning to set. Jake and Cassandra stumbled their way through small talk while they walked, and eventually stopped at a bench to sit for a few minutes.

“I’m having a wonderful time,” Cassandra said softly. Jake smiled and briefly averted his gaze in shyness, his eyes settling on Cassandra’s hand that rested gently on her thigh.

“That’s uh...that’s a really nice nail colour you got on there,” he tried to speak casually as he reached for her hand, pretending to inspect her nail polish. “What’s it called?”

“Um, clear,” Cassandra giggled, seeing straight through Jake’s gesture. “You know, if you want to hold my hand, all you have to do is ask.”

Jake blushed, quickly releasing her hand, though he continued to hold his out. “Well uh, can I hold your hand?” He asked shyly, his eyes meeting hers. 

Cassandra giggled again, this time nodding as she placed her small hand in the one Jake held out. He beamed and squeezed their entwined fingers. It was such a simple gesture, something that he had done numerous times with many girls, and that hadn’t caused his heart to flutter since he was 13.

But with Cassandra things were different. Holding Cassandra’s hand felt like the beginning of something great. He felt a spark that he hadn’t felt in so long; felt completely grounded, but at the same time felt like he could float away at any moment. Cassandra’s hand felt completely at home in his. Her fingers were made to intertwine with his.

Jake knew that there would be many other dates with Cassandra, that the two of them would have many other firsts. But this moment, holding her hand in his, this was one first that would be burned into his mind for a long time to come. It may have been just a little thing, but to Jake it would go down as one of his favourite memories.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Feel free to make our Valentine's Days and leave us comments :)


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